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LETTER TO THE HEBREWS.
us; but they have by their lives borne a good testi-
mony to the power of faith; and of this testimony
there is an abundance. Seeing, then, that there is
so much unimpeachable testimony, we ought not
to doubt.
There is another truth which may be suggested
by this text, and that is that God, Christ, and the
angels are intently watching us in our struggle, and
that the record they bear will testify for or against
us in the Judgment. This also should serve as a
spur and incentive to us to press forward.
" WHO for the joy that was set before him en-
dured the cross, despising the shame." Phil. 2:
5-8, which is referred to in this connection, reads as
follows, according to the Revised Version: " Have
this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus;
who, being in the form of God [Greek, "originally
with God," compare John i : iJ, counted it not
a prize to be on an equality with God, but emp-
tied himself, taking the form of a servant, being
made in the likeness of men; and being found in
.
,
fashion as a man,he humbled himself, becoming obe-
dient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross."
The joy that was set before Jesus was the salvation
of souls. When he sees the travail of his soul, that
is, the result of the travail of his soul, he will be sat-
isfied. It was not for any personal good that he
could gain that he suffered; for he had all heaven
already. Equal with the Father, having life in
himself, the creator and upholder of the universe,
receiving the adoration of the highest angels, there
was nothing that could be added to him. But when
he saw mankind in sin and suffering, doomed to
eternal death, he did not account his lofty place in
heaven a thing to be desired. So great was his
love for fallen humanity, that he could not enjoy
heaven till he had rescued from perdition all who
would receive his kind offices, So he "emptied